New Welding Thread ?'s for beginners...MIG

[Texas Bob]

This thread is great because... I just had my first welding lesson today !!!

There's a local trade school that does "private, byt the hour" lessons, so I went in today and got started. Today the instructor did a basic run down of MIG welding and then had me practice laying down beads for a "filler weld" (is that right ??). Basically an angle piece of iron where I just layed down bead after bead to build up a section.

There's definitely and art to doing this. Gettting my hand steady and going in a straight line at a consistent rate and distance is gonna take some practice. SOme of my welds looked pretty good for a first timer and other looked like crap.



I'd like to get a book to use as a reference when I have questions. I'm hoping this well also help me learn the vocabulary and some of the basics of what I need to do and why. Also there are some many variables when it comes to what your welding and why etc.

Any recommednations for a beginners book ???

I just picked up my text book WELDING Principles and Practices 3rd edition by Sacks and Bohnart for about $70 used for an Intro to Welding class at college. 30 chapters and mega thick, I have no idea what I'm getting into but after reading 3 chapters (my wife called me a nerd as school doesn't start till next week) I can follow this thread pretty well and I have zero experience with welding.

Bob